Characterization of project team dynamics for engineering and management students based on cognitive style

The problem-solving styles and interpersonal dynamics of project teams are often critical dimensions of the ability of a team to function effectively. In order to study the problem-solving styles of engineering and management students and to track intra-team interactions, the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI) was used to determine the cognitive styles of the students in Bucknell's Institute for Leadership in Technology and Management (ILTM) during the summer of 2001. The KAI scores were then utilized to interpret and characterize data collected through journaling assignments in which the students recorded their observations about the abilities of project team members to work and communicate with each other. Results show that KAI scores correlate well with both positive and negative aspects of project team experiences.